Snow-guard.



HENRY H. SALLS AND MORRIS WOOL, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

SNOW-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Application filed February 11, 1910. Serial No. 543,301.

Snow-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved snow-guard adapted particularly for application to roofs on which the slates have already been laid, although it maybe applied at the time of the original laying of the slates. This guard is applied to the roof without nailing through the slates, or applying any nails or fastening devices whatever, and is adapted to be applied or placed between two adjacent slates in a row, a portion of the guard extending up centrally under the slate in the next higher row on the roof.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a portion of a slated roof with our improved snow-guards in position, the section being taken centrally and longitudinally through one of the guards. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, a portion of a slate in the row next above the guards being broken out. Fig. 3 is a plan view of our improved snowguard before it has been applied to the roof. Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line H, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Reference-letters a, b and 0 represent three layers of slate on a section of a roof 0a, the layer a being the lowest, the slates in the different rows being arranged, as is usual, to break joints. Our improved snow-guard consists of a piece of sheet metal formed and bent into the shape illustrated and below described, a spring, and a stop or check for preventing the spring from working out of position. The integral sheet metal piece comprises two fiat wings (Z and e, approximately triangular in shape and preferably provided with the outwardly and oppositely extending teeth f. These wings after having been formed are pressed toward each other, until their inner edges 9 nearly or quite meet, and at the upper ends of said edges outwardly extending folds h are formed, said folds bending outward over the plates cl, 6 and being preferably curved substantially as shown in Fig. 1 whereby the folds are raised somewhat from the wings for the purpose below described. Below the edge portions g, g the two plates are connected by a conical funnel k integral with the wings and with its larger end adapted to point up the roof. The upper edge Z of the funnel is provided with opposite openings or notches n, the edge of each of which is approximately on the arc of a circle. The two bends p which connect the funnel with the wings (Z, 6 are formed in line with the edges 9. At the lower end of the funnel are small points or teeth 8 which, before the snow-guard is applied, may be in line with the surface of the funnel.

A spring 25 is set within the funnel near its upper end or mouth, and at the opposite ends of this spring are narrow extensions u which extend through slots 'v in the funnel, and the shoulders w next said extensions pr vent the main portion of the springs from working through the slots. These springs are therefore held up next or near the inner surface of the funnel in curved shape, and are prevented from working out by a small stop-pin y which is riveted or otherwise secured to the funnel and extends through it and over the upper edge of the central portion of the spring. 7

In practice, to apply a guard to a completed roof, that is, a roof on which the rows a, b and 0 of slates are laid upon a suitable base 00, the guard is laid with its wings d, e fiat upon a slate in the layer a next below the layer Z), and with its inner edges 9 substantially in line with the joint between two slates in the layer 7). The guard is then pushed up, its wings cl, 6 slipping under the adjacent slates in the layer 6, and the folds h, h slipping over the adjacent edges of said slates until said folds reach the lower edge of the central portion of a slate in the layer 0. The guard is then pushed up still farther, forcing the folds h under said slate in the layer 0 until the upper edge Z reaches the lower edge of said slate. The folds it being thus pressed and slightly fiattened as they are pushed under the slate in the layer 0 provide a strong frictional hold on the under surface of said slate, effectually preventing the guard from slipping back, or being forced back by snow or ice. When the guard is laid in position on the slate in the layer a, and while it is being pushed up between two slates in the layer b, the points 8, which before the guard was laid in position were bent outward from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 into that illus trated in Fig. 2, project against the adjacent edges of the two slates and, when the guard has reached its final position extend into any inequalities in the slate which may appear therein, for the purpose of still more firmly locking the guard in position. If desired, small notches such as are illustrated at a in Fig. 2 may be made in the edges of the slates for the purpose of receiving the teeth 5, which may be bent into said notches which therefore constitute steps or ledges. lVhen the guard is being slid up into position as above described, the adjacent edges of the slates rest in the grooves formed by the bends p, as well illustrated in Fig. at, and as the tendency of the two parts cl and e of the guard is to spring apart, the bends p bear against said adjacent edges, and these bends,- the folds h, and the teeth 8 all operate to prevent the guard from being driven out of its position by an avalanche of snow or 1ce.

The springs I, act as stiffeners whereby the shape of the guard is preserved, and this spring also has a tendency to spread the guards slightly and hold them tightly against the adjacent edges of the slates.

By means of the circular-shaped openings or notches a at the top of the funnel the edges of said notches can rest when the guard is in position upon the surface of a slate in the layer 0 and steady the guard and prevent it from tipping sidewise.

In practice, the snow or ice is held by the upper ends of the guards, which are very stiff and strong, and to some extent within the guards, by means of their conical shape, and the body of snow or ice is prevented from flowing off the roof, while any water or drippings therefrom can flow down through the opening in the small lower end of the funnel in a small stream into the gutter.

Of course we do not confine ourselves to the location of the guards or to the number to be applied to a roof. The guards may be applied to the layers near the gutter or to any other layers of slates, and to as many layers and at as many points in a layer as is deemed desirable.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A snow-guard for building-roofs, comprising a pair of fiat wings or plates, and a funnel-shaped hollow structure centrally located between and connecting said wings thus constituting substantially parallel grooves at the lines of connection of the wings and funnel, whereby the wings may be slid under two adjacent slates whose edges enter into said grooves and the funnel extend over the adjacent portions of the slates, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a snow-guard for building-roofs, a pair of fiat wings or plates, a funnel-shaped hollow structure centrally located between and connecting said wings thus constituting substantially parallel grooves at the lines of connection of the wings and funnel, and folds extending outwardly from the adjacent edges of the two wings above the funnel, whereby when the guard is in position the wings extend under two adjacent slates in one row and the folds extend under a slate in the next higher row, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a snow-guard for building-roofs, a pair of flat wingsor plates, a funnel-shaped hollow structure centrally located between and connecting said wings thus constituting substantially parallel grooves at the lines of connection of the wings and funnel, and raised folds curved in cross section and extending outwardly from the adjacent edges .of the two wings above the funnel, whereby when the guard is in position the wings extend under two adjacent slates in one row and the folds extend under a slate in the next higher row, for the purpose set forth.

4%. In a snow-guard for building-roofs, a pair of flat wings or plates, a funnel-shaped hollow structure centrally located between and connecting said wings thus constituting substantially parallel grooves at the lines of connection of the wings and funnel, and folds extending outwardly from the adjacent edges of the two wings above the funnel, the upper edge of said funnel being provided next and on opposite sides of the adjacent edges of the wings with notches whereby when the guard is in position with the wings under two adjacent slates in one row and the folds under a slate in the next higher row the edges of the notches overlap the slate in the next higher row, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a snow-guard for building-roofs, a pair of flat wings or plates, a funnel-shaped hollow structure centrally located between and connecting said wings thus constituting In testimony whereof we have signed our 10 substantially parallel grooves at the lines of names to this specification in the presence of connection of the wings and funnel, a spring two subscribing witnesses.

disposed in the funnel near its upper or HENRY H SALLS larger end said spring corresponding substantially in shape with the curve of the fun- MORRIS WOOL nel and being parallel with the upper edge Witnesses: thereof and secured at its ends to the funnel, CHARLES J. STAPLES, substantially as set forth. WlLsoN R. J AGKSON. 

